A Little Birdie Told Me That You Said 'I Love You'
by KeEpCaLmAnDwAtChAsTrObOy
Summary: It's been weeks since Astro and Mars had devolved a long lasting friendship and all of their problems were solved, but when a new more tragic problem erupts, it's gonna take more than a lasting bond and friendship to help Astro get out.
1. Hand Crafted

**A Little Birdie Told Me That You Said "I Love You"**

It's been weeks since Astro and Mars had devolved a long lasting friendship and all of their problems were solved, but when a new more tragic problem erupts, it's gonna take more than a lasting bond and friendship to help Astro get out.

**Chapter 1: Hand Crafted**

"Let's Rocket!" Astro said lunging forward to finish the last bits of movements of this dramatic battle. But as he went up, he was shocked electrically and he collapsed to the ground. His eyes began to close, narrower and narrower; but before they closed, Astro whispered words you would never think he would say: "I Love You"

Three weeks earlier

Uran sat next to Brianna on the couch as they waited for Astro to return; he and the professor were busy away at the Ministry Of Science doing test, reviewing results ETC. finally when the two came in Uran got off the couch and greeted them.

"Yay your back!" Uran cheered shaking Astro's hand hastily

"Yeah… Uran… glad to see… you" Astro said in-between shakes

Brianna got up and chuckled at Astro as he tried to keep balance and not topple his younger sibling over

"You sure have great balance" Brianna complemented

"I try" Astro said, blushing

Uran finally stopped and Astro –by mistake- placed his foot down hard on the floor, it was that or trembling over his "Heavy" Weight (he was not that heavy at all; but Astro has a hard time stabilizing his weight and his balance)

Dr. Elefun ran to grab the phone as Astro sat on the couch finishing the last sips of his mini apple juice box he left on the table before he left with the professor.

"So? Anything new" Uran asked nosily

"Nope" Astro said sighing, he really wanted to learn something new today, and maybe Brianna can teach him how to pass level four in Flowercraft, The game was cheap, but the catch was the difficulty, Astro would stand there and stare at the TV seeing if some "Mythical Force" could give him a lecture on how to pass it.

"Hey, Brianna; got a second" Astro asked

"Sure, what's up?" Brianna replied

"Have you finished level 4 in Flowercraft?"

"Yeah, I finished it a week ago, what's the problem?"

"I can't finish it…"

"Ah… I see young amateur let me give you the tour de how to finish level 4 in Flowercraft!" Brianna said beaming

Astro and Brianna walked up the stairs, and turned around when they both heard the doorbell ring, Uran answered it, looking she turned away and called Astro immediately "Astro YOUR BEST BUDS HERE! ER… I MEAN MR. MARS‼!" She squealed, Astro turned around and let Mars in.

After Brianna left to go home, Mars stayed as he and Astro were painting on the big jumbo sized piece of paper, Mars was making random lines and doodles while Astro was using watercolors, he carefully made skillful strokes with the small brush, trying to draw something great. After the two finished, Astro sighed in admiration staring at his artwork and smiling; Mars looked at what Astro painted and gave him a menacing look of jealousy, Astro giggled and put all the paints away. Mars stood up and helped Astro put the stuff away.

"So? Any new threats?"

"Nope. Everything seems to be fine in the city, strange right?"

"I guess" Mars said shrugging his shoulders

"I guess I'm just so used to fighting, I've become desperate for drama"

"I purposely called Dr. Tenma to see how he's doing to spark something"

"For real"

"Yea, he started laughing and hung up the phone, I wonder if he was drunk?"

"Probably"

"The world may never know" Astro said looking at the jumbo paper, pretending to stroke his imaginary beard, he tried to think.

"If he was, would you be surprised" Mars asked Astro looking him straight in the eye

"No"

"Why not, I would"

"Because, he fits the description anyway, besides, it's not like any human would go crazy after doing something like he did, I bet he personally sends himself letters just to make him feel content"

"That's sad"

"Not really, think about it; if Tenma keeps this up they'll think he has a mental issue and send him to a mental hospital; there goes Metro City's biggest threat out the window"

"But then you'd be out of a job"

"Not really, I don't get paid for this…" Astro responded sighing

"Would you like to?" Mars asked

"No, I enjoy doing this without pay, plus it teaches me great giving skills, they say it's better to give than to receive"

"True" Mars agreed

"Anyway, got any other time passing fun ideas?"

"Nope."

"Wanna play Flowercraft? Brianna showed me how to pass level 4‼"

"Oh you mean you GIRLFRIEND?" Mars teased

"Stop it! She's not my girlfriend!" Astro snapped

"Oh really, I know your secret!"

"What secret?"

"You two TOTALLY kissed!" Mars taunted making a funny kissy face

"And your point is…" Astro asked annoyed, he stuck his tongue out at Mars and folded his arms.

"Did you like it?"

"Ewe, I'm not answering that" Astro said squeamishly with a sour face

"Why not CHICKEN?" Mars teased once more

"Because"

"Well, I gotta go, but you BETTER tell me next time!" Mars snapped walking out the door

"No promises" Astro said laughing

Mars rolled his eyes and closed the door Astro had a one minuet laugh attack and walked up stairs to take a shower.

**Part Two- The Big News**

The next day, Astro didn't go to school because he had to take an important test at the ministry. Astro was propped up on a platform, sitting; the child stared at the red light on the ceiling.

After finishing up the test, Astro was already home on the phone trying to soak up as much as possible on any homework, or any weird things the students learned that day.

"Carry the two?" Astro asked

"Always" Theodore, Astro's 3rd best friend replied

"Hmmm… I got 7 did you?"

"I got 8?"

"Did I do something wrong; I'm too scared to use a calculator."

"Did you add right?"

"Yep."

"Oh wait, my bad it is 7, forgot to carry the three"

"Ah-Ha! And I wasn't even here!" Astro bragged

"Well then since you got it, I can hang up now, right?"

"Wait no! I need help on number 12"

"Its 100"

"I knew it! Wait, isn't it supposed to be 99?"

"Gotta estimate"

"Oh, I forgot" Astro said erasing his answer and changing it to 100

After Astro hanged up the phone, Dr. Elefun ran down the stairs in a panic

"What's wrong professor, you look like my mother during rush hour, if I even HAD a mother!"

"Your- your"

"My what? Spit it out."

"Te-te- test"

"What about my test?" Astro said raising his tone trying to tweak it to resemble worry

"They came in!"

"Oh, that's great!" Astro said beaming

"No, it's not!" Dr. Elefun tried to say without having a breathing attack

"It's not? Did I do badly" Astro said with a worried face, he placed his hand on the professor shoulder to calm him down

"Not even close, Astro you failed"

"I DID? I never fail these things, unless Atlas has stopped by recently and I fail my stress test"

"I don't understand, you seem healthy"

"That thing must be whack, does the ministry even update their equipment yearly?!"

"You sure your fine?"

"Well…"

"Spit it out my boy!"

"Do sudden sweating count?"

"Um…"

"I'm not sure, I'll remember that when I do my report"

"In the meantime, don't do anything requiring lots of force"

"Yes professor" Astro obeyed, he walked up the stairs. The doorbell rang and Dr. Elefun opened it Mars rushed in to see Astro he had very important news.

"Astro! Astro! I have news for you! Hurry!" Mars yelled banging on Astro's bedroom door. Astro yanked Mars arm inside and shushed him. Astro then plopped himself on his bed, waiting to hear the big news.

"I got news from Tenma"

"You still work for that bastard?"

"No, but Tenma doesn't know, all he knows is that I left the city and went to New York"

"You lied to him"

"It was that or death, what do you think he'd fall for"

"Neither"

"Really?"

"Well If I told him, he wouldn't believe me!"

"Yeah because you're his son, you move you'll feel guilty!"

"Of what?"

"Leaving family unconsciously"

"What's the news?"

"Tenma wants to over throw you."

"How? Send me doves and have them carry me to heaven?" Astro said giggling

"No, he wants you gone"

"Why? What did I do to that son of a monkey's uncle; he's the stupid one!"

"Such high vocabulary"

"I'm pissed‼!" Astro yelled

"Don't take it out on me! I'm just a wittle boy trying to learn how to eat spaghetti…"

Astro laughed along with Mars as the two tried to figure out a plan on how to stop Tenma

"My prayers have been answered!" Astro cheered

"You wanted this?!" Mars asked

"Sort of… I'm getting bored of school"

"Then drop out!"

"Never, I don't wanna be the lazy dude in the beer commercials; I bet he's so lazy they had to film it at his house!" Astro snapped

"Ha-ha, wouldn't that be HALARIOUS!" Mars said giggling

Mimics dude on the TV "this beer taste great! Can someone hand me another one? No? All out? I want more beer! Dang nab it! Too lazy to get off the couch!"

Mars and Astro laughed until tears of joy ran down their eyes and Astro forgot all about Tenma.

Then he fainted.

~END OF CHAPTER ONE‼~


	2. The Hospital Bed

Chapter Two: The Hospital Bed

_**Part One- Mar's Apology**_

Astro awakened to see Dr. Elefun and Mars standing by Uran's piano, Astro (who was lying on his bed) sat up and blinked both his eyes.

"I'm sorry" Mars said looking at Astro

"What? What happened?" Astro asked

"I think all our laughing got out of hand" Mars admitted

"Yeah, that was crazy!" Astro chuckled embarrassed. Astro scratched the back of his head with his right arm and looked at the professor, who stared at the child in disappointment

"I told you to take it easy" Elefun said

"I did, I just had a laugh attack" Astro said, trying not to raise his voice to sound angry in front of Elefun

Elefun left telling Mars to keep a close eye on Astro to make sure he wasn't going to faint once more.

"I'm really sorry, you know" Mars said sadly

"It's okay; I know you didn't do it on purpose"

"Really?"

"Yes"

"You're the best!"

"No problem"

Mars pushed Astro aside and sat next to him on his bed

"What are we going to do about Tenma?" Mars asked

"What do you mean?"

"What if what he said is true, and he tries to demolish you!" Mars said worried

"Then I'll spring into action!" Astro said giving Mars a toothy grin

"And if all else fails?"

"Then that's when you come in, your strong right? You could be my sidekick!"

"I thought you said you worked solo?"  
"That was when you were a stranger to me, now since I know you; I think the city won't mind"

"What about the Ministry?"

"What do you mean about it?"

"What will they say…?"

"I hope the more the merrier, because this stuff ain't easy!" Astro looked at Mars and smiled

"Ha-Ha, I _WISH_!" Mars said chuckling

"This is boring; I'm feeling like I'm FROZEN!" Astro said folding his arms, showing he's annoyed

"Really?" Mars asked getting off Astro's bed, scrambling for a thermometer.

"Keep talking, need to keep you busy!" Mars urged Astro. Mars finally found the thermometer and shoved it into Astro's mouth.

"Hey, don't be so harsh!" Astro tried to say wanting not to drop the thermometer.

"340͘˚ F, you have a fever!"

"I thought 400 ˚ was the fever limit?"

"Nope its 300 ˚" Mars said sighing

Uran walked into the room, Mars handed her the thermometer to put away, she read the temperature and ran to get the professor

"340 ˚ F?! I knew something was wrong, Astro had a hot flash!"

"Is he going to be okay, professor?" Uran anticipant-ly asked

"I'm not sure Uran" Elefun said worried, he sighed and walked up the stairs, hoping this would all blow away.

"I'm tired, tell me a story!" Astro said to Mars

"I don't know any." Mars said

"Then make one up." Astro demanded

"Fine."

"Dr. Elefun said you could go home now, Mars" Uran said as she walked in Astro's room

"Guess I gotta go…"

"Wait don't go! I enjoy your company!"

"How about I stop by tomorrow before I head to soccer?"

"Deal!" Astro said, already dozing off to sleep

Part Two- What Kills You Only Makes You Stronger

The next day, as promised, Mars stopped by to see Astro 30 minutes before he had to head to soccer.

"Oh! There you are I was waiting for you" Astro, who was sitting crisscross on the floor drawing in his sketchbook said, looking up at Mars, who was dressed in a red and white uniform.

"Getting better"

"Yeah, just getting this annoying headaches, got any ideas?"

"Have you tried medicine…?"

"They don't make medicine for robots…"

"They don't?! What has _BECOME_ of this country‼?" Mars complained giggling

Astro laughed with him, Astro then quickly looked back at his artwork, finishing the lines on the hair.

"You sure love art!"

"Yeah, it's the only time I can be creative; excluding the times I have to be substitute for the police sketch artist…"

"You're the guy with the mustache!"

"Yeah, why?"

"I thought you were an old dude ready to retire any day soon! Well what do you know?"

"I look _THAT_ old…"

"Not really, just with the mustache…"

"Oh good! Need to stay young for the fans"

"You have FANS?"

"Yeah, why do you think people are all like 'OMG thank you!' 'I need a date to prom please!' 'Can you show me how to fix this please!' their more haunting than the Grim Reaper!"

Mars laughed as Astro finally finished drawing and began to ink it with his pen

"Would you wanna look old…"

"A part of me says yes, because then villains will be scared of my sudden aging, they'll be so scared they'll turn them self's in before I even move a muscle!" Astro said giggling, still looking at his artwork and inking it.

"Wouldn't life's problems be that simple to solve…"

"What do you mean?"

"If only you could get rid of all your troubles just by scaring them away"

"I guess it could make it easy…."

"You sound non-peppy, have some pep!"

"Yay" Astro said dreary

"That's not peppy"

"I'm tired, okay!"

"Then take a nap…"

"Maybe later."

"Okay then, gotta go to soccer, bye!"

Mars closed the door and Astro crawled into bed, sighing he began to remember what Mars said about Tenma, is he really gonna get rid of him? What can he (Astro) do? He held back his tears and laid down to take a nap, but as soon as Astro went to take a deep breath, the tears rolled down his eyes, and he pulled the covers over his head.

It was Saturday, Astro was stuck in one of Tenma's warehouse maze, trying to escape with doors that led to other doors and so on, and Tenma was playing around in the security room watching his son humiliate himself by opening doors that led to nowhere.

"Ha-ha and he thinks he can get out, not for long" Tenma said with a sneer; the robot dogs were already tracking the robot down.

Mars was waiting by the entrance for Astro; he heard a scream and quickly ran inside, Tenma saw him and became very furious

"DIDN'T HE SAY HE WAS GOING TO NEW YORK‼! THAT LITTLE-" Tenma was too mad to finish his sentence, so he cringed his hands together and sighed

"Astro you in here!" Mars called out

"Over HERE!" Astro screamed

"And hurry I can't keep these robo-dogs off forever!"

"I'm coming" Mars cried running

"Keep talking! I need to hear your voice to find you" Mars continued

"Okay then" Astro responded

The two talked back and forth till Mars helped Astro defeat the dogs and the two ran out.

"Your hands red" Mars alerted Astro

"I know; it's throbbing"

"Probably from fighting the robot dogs"

"Maybe so…"

"I think Tenma saw me…"

"He saw all of us, he has eyes like the CIA and the social status of a hobo!"

The two giggled at Astro's joke, in-between laughs Astro winced; looking at his red, throbbing hand.

At home Elefun helped Astro's hand from being red and sat with both Astro and Mars to have a small chat.

"So you see? You have to be careful"

"We know" Astro and Mars said in unison

"Okay then, off we all go to bed!"

After showers and every extra necessity, Astro agreed to let Mars stay over since it was getting dark and too unsafe to walk home.

"I can't believe it, you live across the city, yet you still visit"

"You're a monument, a gift; people like you don't come around often, you know!"

"Duh! I'm one of a kind!" Astro said beaming with a toothy grin blinking his eyes trying to be cute.

"Sure…."

"What? _YOU_ don't think I'm one of a kind!"

"I do, but you make it sound girly, has your _GIRLFRIEND _brainwashed you!"

"I told you like a million times BRIANNA IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND‼"

"Sure and Dr. Tenma is not _YOUR_ dad! Hmm…?"

"Oh shut up!" Astro snapped

"Night?"

"Night!"

~~END OF CHAPTER TWO!~~


	3. It Just Keeps Getting worse

**Chapter 3: It keeps Getting Worse…**

Part One- Dipstick drums

After a few weeks, everyone thought Astro was fine and everything was in order, but just a few days ago everyone lives changed forever!

"It's horrible" Elefun said to Mars staring at Astro, who was in bed "Sleeping" he looked deader and pale than a full grown mummy.

Whenever you tried to grab Astro's attention, all he would do is toss-and-turn all round till he finally found a proper position and shivered.

And when you tried to be sympathetic, you'd think he'd smile, look up at you with innocent eyes in need of a desperate warm hug, but he didn't. All he would do is sleep, sleep, and sleep again, almost playing dead like a dog trick you taught fluffy to do to get through sticky situations, the kind 9-1-1 would say "WE'RE ON OUR AWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!" the kind that made you think he was meant to go, but, internally, he was working away, like a bullet, trying to wake up, trying to open his eyes and say "Is that you?", trying to stay alive.

"_Get ME Out of Here‼!"_

"I don't know what went wrong" Elefun said, sighing, he looked down at his feet then back straight again, trying to pin-point his eyes on Astro.

Mars shut his eyes closed, traumatized at the thought of losing his best friend, how just a day ago the two had become friends the balance in the world was restored. Mars shook his head and fled the room, walking slowly down the stairs.

Astro Tossed-And-Turned.

Elefun began to think of all possible things that could have done this to Astro, then starting to ponder on possible solutions to _THIS_ problem. Elefun left the room, closing the door softly shut.

Astro Tossed-And-Turned again.

Finally after turning and turning again, Astro finally laid flat on his bed, he was cold, looked like he had a fever, he looked like a vampire; all pale like a sheet of copy paper. He hesitated, he tried; tried to move his fingers, almost. _Can I tilt my head up?_

And as if god's hands made a miracle, Astro opened both eyes, still pale but nonetheless he sat up straight, his head hurt, his heart?, down to his knees. He tried to smile, looking at the ceiling was not appealing, and he wanted to get out of bed, like an infant taking its first steps, Astro climbed out of bed and crawled over to his bookcase and grabbed a book. Resting his head on the right side of the case he began to finish up the 3rd chapter of _The Hungry hunger Games_. But when he started the 5th chapter, close to dinner, he was out cold, falling asleep once again, appearing dead.

Part One A- Tenma Hears The News

"I hear Astro is sick" Tenma began as soon as Elefun answered the phone

"Yes, he's grown pale"

"Ah, I see; and what do you plan on doing?"

"I'm waiting to hear from the ministry"

"You know I think I've heard of this before, I could fix him"

"_NO_! remember _LAST_ time you 'Fixed' him."

"hmm, I see. Pale you say?"

"he hasn't woken up yet it's as if-

"He's dead?"

"How'd you-

"Elefun, I'm his father, I know him more than the nuns at the catholic church! You think I'm _STUPID_?!"

"No Tenma I-

"Never mind, petty arguments don't look good on my record you know…"

"And you care because?"

"Um…"

"Never mind"

"As I was saying, let me know if he gets any paler, could be a default circuit"

"It could be anything!"

"I know Elefun, don't stress; I got this!"

"Oh, I hope!" Elefun said worried, he then hung up the phone

Uran and her troublemaking sister, Zoran, walked into the house, Uran had known about Astro being very ill and every time something sounds or reminds her or just even a thought of Astro makes her all teary and choked up, oh the thought of her own brother, slipping away; whenever she saw him she just waved and walked along, now she wish she had smothered him in her own blood and tears, to be there for him when he needed her most, to be more like a sister. But in her eyes, she's upset him, making him so sick, so pale! Now it was too late.

Part 2- Fingers Dipped In White

It was Sunday afternoon, Astro was still sleeping in bed, he woke up again for the 2nd time and yet again, contents himself by starting chapter 5 of the book he read just days ago. He read the book page by page, paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence, word by word, letter by letter; he kept reading, it's all he did, he didn't think about anybody, or anything… all he did was drown in the story of how Katniss beats everyone in _The Hungry Hunger Games_, and saves the man of her dreams, how she gets rid of everyone one by one, person by person, one attack by another attack. Finally finishing the last page of chapter 7 Astro let out a long yawn and closed his eyes shut, and just when he thought he could open them up again, he couldn't, he was already in a deep sleep.

Then again on Tuesday, Astro got up to finish his book and made it till chapter 10 (notice how every time Astro reads his book, he falls asleep after reading 2 chapters) and again on Thursday starting chapter 10 and getting up to chapter 12. Elefun didn't understand how these pieces could go together, "How can Astro only read 2 chapters a day every 2 days? Makes no sense" he wondered "hmm…" Elefun reached the phone.

A week later, Astro was able to start to read 3 chapters a day, and finished the book by Saturday; he looked around for the 2nd book _Catching On Fire _but he couldn't find it, so he crawled back in bed and just began to draw, he found this easier than reading, and actually got a whole picture done (inked and all that jazz) done in the same time it'd take him to read 3 chapters of _The Hungry Hunger Games_.

Monday

_12:00 P.M. _

It was Monday, lunch time, Astro was sitting in his bed, he finally found _Catching On Fire _which was hidden in his closet by mistake and was finishing up chapter 2, he grew bored of the book and began to draw, someone walked in and without control, Astro closed his eyes and pretended to sleep, as soon as the person left Astro was awake again, not noticing the strange event, he kept on drawing, with elegant lines and supreme effort, Astro's art looked like a Picasso masterpiece! When he was done, he sat his sketchbook on his nightstand, and went to sleep, only to wake up 2 days later…

_Wednesday_

_09:00 A.M. _

Elefun had decided he had enough of what's been going on, so he finally gave up and send Astro to Tenma.

"You made a great choice, Elefun" Tenma complemented

"It was the _ONLY_ choice, Tenma" Elefun snapped, hoping he (Tenma) won't make him eat his words

Looking at Astro, Tenma could Elefun was not joking, Astro looked like snow had covered his whole body or he was covered in white copy paper!

The poor, tired, robotic child was escorted in by Tenma, as Elefun waved, he counted his blessings and hope things would turn out okay…

~~END OF CHAPTER THREE‼~~


End file.
